When was the last time you paid detailed attention to how you walked across a room at home to open the door? When was the last time you had one of those car journeys where, when you arrived at your destination, you couldn’t remember anything of the journey? The ability of the human body and mind to run on auto-pilot is quite amazing. It enables us to fulfil familiar tasks with minimal conscious effort and attention, thereby allowing us to focus on other things we want or need to.

That’s the upside. And it’s a very useful upside for day-to-day life and work. The downside is that, in some situations, doing what we do because that’s what we do can cause us to miss important factors, significant variables and valuable learning opportunities. This is where reflective practice comes in. It’s what is says on the proverbial tin: reflection before, during and after action. Easier said than done, you may say. True: so here are some tips from experience that I’ve found useful.

Tip 1: Pause. If you don’t stop to think from time to time, you may not stop to think at all. Tip 2: Plan. Choose key moments for critical reflection, e.g. at the start of a project – ‘What are we here to do?’; mid-way through – ‘How are we doing?’; afterwards – ‘What are we learning?’ Tip 3: Provoke. Seek out stimulating literature; work with contrasting cultures; invite people to test your assumptions. Tip 4: Practise. Reflective practice takes…erm…practice. Pause, reflect act. Act pause reflect.

Thanks Nick. A useful reminder of the importance of reflection. Having to get better at this as I work through the academic assignments for my post grad coaching certificate.

Reply

Nick Wright

26/5/2016 08:33:19 am

Hi Sandra. Yes, engaging in study programmes can be a great way of 'encouraging' us to engage in reflective practice! :) Let us know if you discover any useful reflective practice insights or techniques. All the best. Nick

Reply

Greg Jones

27/5/2016 01:48:17 am

Nick, reflection is a great tool for anyone in an organization. I would add to your tip 3a - record, take notes, be able to see how the process is growing and changing.

Reply

Nick Wright

27/5/2016 01:56:53 am

Thanks Greg. Your note reminded me of Gillie Bolton's work: 'Reflective Practice: Writing and Professional Development'. I find note-taking useful as a process of reflection in itself - that is, I often think thinks through by writing. I had a go at expressing that experience in another blog: http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/next. Something that strikes me as important in recording 'to see how the process is growing and changing' is that change is sometimes so gradual that we don't perceive it. Taking notes in the way you suggest would be a great way of looking back to see the difference our reflection and practice has made. All the best. Nick

Reply

Karen Joy Langley

30/5/2016 01:37:19 pm

Hi Greg ...great tip! Its amazing what you miss unless you have the opportunity to go back and walk yourself through an event, with a different mindset.

Julie Reynolds

27/5/2016 08:29:47 am

In my previous nursing career we kept diaries of reflections using reflective models, my preference was Gibbs. I have encouraged my staff to do the same now I'm running our security company and it has really helped.

Reply

Nick Wright

27/5/2016 08:31:07 am

Yes, Julie. Reflective practice seems to be most commonly used in nursing, social work and teaching fields. I haven't heard of Gibbs. Can you say a bit more about it and what it involves? I'm interested to hear more! All the best. Nick

Reply

Karen Joy Langley

30/5/2016 01:31:27 pm

Hi Julie ...could you tell me more about the Gibbs reflective practice ...not come across this before :)

Nick Wright

30/5/2016 01:35:00 pm

Hi Joy. I Googled it and saw this intro article on MindTools: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/reflective-cycle.htm. Reminds me of Kolb's learning cycle. All the best. Nick

Karen Joy Langley

1/6/2016 06:15:40 am

Hi Nick, my favourite tip? ....Tip 1: Pause. If you don’t stop to think from time to time, you may not stop to think at all. So true. With the fast pace of life that is threatening to consume us physically, emotionally and mentally ...slowing down might save our lives - literally. PS: I am still practicing no.3 inviting others to test my assumptions ...never been great at receiving criticism - but I am getting better :)

Nick Wright

1/6/2016 06:17:58 am

Thanks for such an honest response, Karen. No.3 relates to the subject of another blog I posted recently: http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/in-the-question Does that connect with your experience too? All the best. Nick

Jeanne Hartley

28/5/2016 12:31:43 pm

Good reminder of what is important.

Reply

Nick Wright

28/5/2016 12:32:08 pm

Thanks Jeanne. All the best. Nick

Reply

Bob Larcher

29/5/2016 12:35:32 pm

Maybe not a technique but certainly a pre-requisite is the desire to develop and grow; as Socrates said, "the only subject that really merits being studied is oneself" and “know thyself and thou shall know all the mysteries of the gods and of the universe”.

On a more practical front, getting quality feedback from those around you is useful as is working with others involved in similar subjects to oneself; I was very lucky when I started my career almost 30 years ago in that in my first three months I worked with almost every consultant in the company – all treating more or less the same subjects but in their own way.

Reply

Nick Wright

29/5/2016 12:39:27 pm

Thanks Bob. Yes, a desire to develop and grow is so important. I like your idea about working with others involved in similar subjects to see how they approach them. In a similar vein, I love working with people from lots of different types of organisation and culture. I learn so much that way, especially when my own preconceived ideas are challenged and stretched. It's also one reason why I blog and value insights so much from people like your good self! All the best. Nick

Reply

Debora Paiva

29/5/2016 04:01:36 pm

Great post Nick it made me stop immediately and turn off auto pilot during my linkedin experience thanks for sharing.

Reply

Nick Wright

29/5/2016 04:04:29 pm

Many thanks, Debora. That was instant impact! :) I'm curious...if you're willing to share...what shifted in your attention when you turned off auto pilot? What emerged into awareness that you weren't noticing before? All the best. Nick

Reply

Dineen Carta

29/5/2016 04:05:58 pm

Another great article, Nick.

Reply

Nick Wright

29/5/2016 04:06:37 pm

Thanks for your encouraging feedback, Dineen. All the best. Nick

Reply

Aki Jamal Durham

29/5/2016 04:07:56 pm

Nick, excellent share. Would you mind if I shared this article and a link to you website or blog in my newsletter?

Reply

Nick Wright

29/5/2016 04:08:57 pm

Thanks for your kind words, Aki. Yes, please feel free to share. I'd be interested to hear if you receive any feedback. All the best. Nick

Reply

Aki Jamal Durham

31/5/2016 12:29:48 pm

Will do, Nick.

Pamina Mullins

30/5/2016 03:03:59 am

A very valuable reminder Nick! The PRACTICE part is the key. Then awareness becomes automatic too.

Reply

Nick Wright

30/5/2016 03:05:00 am

Thanks Pamina! I've been reflecting on my own practice since posting this blog and realise that prayer and presence play important parts for me too. All the best. Nick

Reply

Monica Pietrini

30/5/2016 03:06:39 am

This post is excellent. Thanks!

Reply

Nick Wright

30/5/2016 03:07:19 am

Thanks Monica! :) All the best. Nick

Reply

Judy Apps

30/5/2016 03:07:56 am

Succinct and very useful, many thanks!

Reply

Nick Wright

30/5/2016 03:08:36 am

Thank you too, Judy! All the best. Nick

Reply

Frankie Doiron, PCC, BCC

30/5/2016 08:41:43 am

Always nice to remember to be aware and mindful of the moment. Great tips!

Reply

Nick Wright

30/5/2016 08:45:04 am

Thanks Frankie! All the best. Nick

Reply

Marlies Cohen

30/5/2016 08:47:33 am

Thank you Nick, this is a great reminder. Too often we just do things on automatic.

Reply

Nick Wright

30/5/2016 08:56:00 am

Thanks Marlies. Yes, in my experience, although we learn all the time intuitively, developing reflective practice often takes conscious choice and discipline. All the best. Nick

Reply

Dr. Mary Ivers PhD, Reg. Psychol. PsSI. CPsychol.

30/5/2016 12:31:50 pm

Great reminder & tips!

Reply

Nick Wright

30/5/2016 12:32:18 pm

Thanks Mary! All the best. Nick

Reply

Jane Puta Malambo

31/5/2016 02:27:36 am

Very educative.

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 02:28:12 am

Thanks for the affirming feedback, Jane. All the best. Nick

Reply

Catherine Anne Blann

31/5/2016 02:29:44 am

Using Mindfulness great advise.

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 02:30:36 am

Thanks Catherine. Could you say a bit more, e.g. how you use mindfulness to enhance reflective practice? All the best. Nick

Reply

Catherine Anne Blann

31/5/2016 02:41:06 pm

Through my journey of studying Psychological Counselling, I have been challenged to create a personal space within the context of counselling through reflective activities, One of the activities I stumbled upon was extremely simple but had the most amazing impact on me. The activity was a self - awareness / reflection.
I was asked to find out what my core values, seems like such an easy almost obvious thing to do and that all people should know? Is what I initially thought.

The activity went a bit like this: Remember a time when you were very happy (when using these memories try to find a memory that made you feel good about yourself)? Write down what in the memory made the most impact on you?
eg: "I felt good about myself for staying focused and getting through all my study material"
then think of the reverse of the memory you have chosen ?
Try to remember a time that you did the opposite of this memory? ( How did it make you feel about yourself?)
eg:"I felt disappointed"

This reflective activity allows us to get in touch with how we work, what influences our behaviour - through knowing how we work from the inside.

When you feel disappointed that you did not do something it is because you are working against your core values, this reflection has a huge impact because if you know what makes you feel empowered and what is in line with your core values, you can then understand how certain social situation and work situation impact on you as a person and an employee - enhancing your ability "stop and reflect" What drives your reactions within a team, Why you work better in this team and not that team etc...

Danielia Burger

2/6/2016 05:11:30 am

Having read your comments, Catherine.....could I get down to basics..and say that your reflections indicate that success breeds empowerment. Disappointment is not always as a result of working against core values....reflection will often bring about a multi faceted answer...what is important, is to establish the positivity in the situation....understand, accept and move on with positive action....thank you for raising the interesting perspective!

Nidhi Aggarwal

31/5/2016 02:32:06 am

Nicely put!

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 02:32:41 am

Thanks Nidhi! All the best. Nick

Reply

Mbeke Waseme

31/5/2016 02:50:49 am

Nice article. I like Tip1 'If you don't stop to think from time to time, you may not stop to think at all'. I would take this a step further and suggest that we diary in time for reflection, meditation, planning. By putting time aside, we accept that it is as important as other events and activities in our lives.

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 02:59:19 am

Thanks Mbeke. Yes, diarising time for conscious, systematic reflection on practice can help ensure that we actually do it in the midst of other pressing priorities, interests and concerns. There are also times where we can pause briefly and reflect in the moment. This takes practice too, especially if we are naturally activist or task-orientated by nature. Does that make sense? All the best. Nick

Reply

Karen Joy Langley

1/6/2016 01:39:50 pm

Hi Mbeke, you are right. So why do we find it so hard to do this (lol). Always feels like there are more important things to do than....ooops! think.

Reply

Gauhar Husain

31/5/2016 05:02:13 am

My practice during training sessions has been, that, I emphasize all the participants to come with a diary/note which they routinely use. I ask them to note down 5 objective they have for the training they are part of. Then I ask (from a large group) few of them to share their objectives and star writing it on chart ignoring the repetitions.
This on the one hand creates a focus and harmony among the group and secondly sets the objectives, which are visible all the time and can be referred to any time. Hence, as you said, ‘What are we here to do?’; mid-way through – ‘How are we doing?’; afterwards – ‘What are we learning?’
Further, I narrate positive personal experiences of how I have been able to observe and understand different things which had been confusing me.

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 05:09:47 am

Hi Gauhar and thanks for sharing such practical techniques. Using a diary/note to stimulate and capture reflections can certainly make a difference. Sharing from personal experiences in training can be valuable too. It can build rapport with the group and provide a stimulus for reflection and action.

I think a role the trainer/facilitator can also play is to raise awareness of and, at times, challenge their own, and others', beliefs, values and assumptions as they emerge in the group and to invite others to do the same. This partly depends, of course, on the cultural context and whether posing challenges in a group is considered acceptable.

This is where contracting with a group from the outset can be very powerful, e.g. 'What are we here to do?', 'How shall we do this?', 'What do we need from ourselves and others to receive and contribute our best?' It allows space for participants to step back from their own cultural norms and to consider what they are willing to do together in the training room. Does that make sense in your context? All the best. Nick

Reply

Gauhar Husain

31/5/2016 09:14:04 am

Hi Nick, I agree with all what you have said. As for the cultural barriers, I agree it is there, but in my experience, what is more important is the culture we create in the training. This I was blessed to experience when giving a training on Soft Skills to a group of about 10 Afghan, of which 2 ladies, further 3 were Persian speaking, so there was an interpreter also It was a real challenge.

So, I really focused on what they are understanding. Teaching them bit by bit and asking one of them, randomly, to come to the front and explain his/her understanding. And during this I created debates so their understanding is clear and uniform. I don't mean to praise myself. But, after this experience, I became fully convinced, that it is up to us to overcome the barriers and create a culture of learning. If we are committed by heart and soul we can do it every time. The Afghans repeatedly asked me to give training. I consider this to be a milestone of my Training carrier. I hope this will be helpful to you also.

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 09:21:22 am

Hi Gauhar and thanks for sharing such a great example from experience. It sounds like you created a learning culture with the group that served the needs and interests of the group well. I'm aware that in some cultures, e.g. some within South East Asia, inviting people to come forward could feel threatening or inappropriate. The risk is something about shame, about losing face in front of a group, depending on what person and/or others in the group expect from them. This is where finding a way to contract sensitively yet explicitly with the group (sometimes with individuals outside of the group) can make all the difference to how and how well people are able to participate, learn and contribute. With thanks again for sharing, and keep up the good work! All the best. Nick

Alubba Fenix

31/5/2016 05:55:20 am

Set a clear intention (your why). Align your words and your deeds (your what and how) to it this intention. Observe and document the effect within a specific context and then adjust as required. I find keeping a daily diary coupled with meditation to be an effective reflective practice for me.

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 06:01:41 am

Thanks Alubba. Your approach reminds me of action research - start with an intention or hypothesis, act, see what happens, reflect, adjust the hypothesis accordingly. Keeping a diary and creating space for meditation sound like great reflective practice ideas to me. I, similarly, try to create space for prayer and reflection to see what insight emerges into awareness when I do it. All the best. Nick

Reply

John Eliopolo iPEC CPC, ICF ACC

31/5/2016 07:52:25 am

Sounds like an unpacking of the time honored practice of Inquiry. Not many people do it these days because they "go, go, go; do, do, do."

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 07:54:12 am

Thanks John. As a good friend, Guy Rothwell, puts it: There's a time for space and a time for pace. The wisdom lays in knowing which is needed - and when. (my paraphrase!). All the best. Nick

Reply

Carly Johnson

31/5/2016 12:41:40 pm

When working a register, I envision myself as the customer standing in line and hearing the cashier ask the same, boring questions to every single person. And, it saddens me that there's no fun involved.
So, when a customer says, "just this." and hands me a bottle of water. I sometimes will respond with, "do you need a slice of cheesecake to help you drink that?" . . . and, if anything it'll get a giggle. It's having you have the customer pause and think, be entertained, and carry on - you've now set up the next customer because they are already smiling when you approach. I have done my job. I'm entertained, they're entertained, and every so often, someone will get that slice of cheesecake that I mentioned! :)

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 12:45:33 pm

Hi Carly. You definitely get my vote for one of the most spirited and creative approaches to reflective practice I've seen! What I notice is your attitude and stance that 'snaps' people out of auto-pilot, changes their interaction with you as a person (rather than a cashier), transforms the experience for both of you - and for others - and may also produce business benefits. Great story! Love it. :) All the best. Nick

Reply

Anaiis Salles

31/5/2016 02:37:15 pm

Hi Carly. What a beautiful way to stay present, connected -- and go for the upsell. Love it!

Anaiis Salles

31/5/2016 12:49:00 pm

Mindfulness is a must because when we are mindful, we know where or to whom, or what, our attention is flowing. Having this information is the basis of choice and our free will.

Reply

Nick Wright

31/5/2016 12:53:26 pm

Hi Anaiis. Thanks for the note. You reminded me of the relationship between awareness and reflective practice that I heard some time ago. It was a quotation attributed to Buddha which went something along the lines of: 'When I walk, I know I am walking and when I eat, I know I am eating.' Such a contrast to living on auto-pilot and a great example of mindfulness. All the best. Nick

Reply

Jason Anshewitz

1/6/2016 08:22:33 am

The first few sentences of this article can really make you pause and think. (Tip 1!) As a Training Manager, or any type of leadership role, people ARE watching, even if it is something as simple as how you compose yourself when you walk across the room to open the door. Whether it's fair or not, impressions are always being made, and those impressions can and will carry over to the actual training interactions. Thanks for posting this, Nick!

Reply

Nick Wright

1/6/2016 08:24:27 am

Hi Jason and thanks for the note. I have to confess that I hadn't really considered what impression it could make when I mentioned walking across the room. I was thinking more about being aware in the moment. You've added a useful dimension to that reflection. All the best. Nick

Reply

Steve Kopp

2/6/2016 06:25:20 am

Thanks for the article. One of my favorite tools to nudge me in reflective practices are some wonderful cards - Body ReMinder Cards. I use them myself, I use them with clients. They invite us into some creative ways to walk, sit drive. You can heck it out www.rogertolle.net I often take a deck on retreats to really increase my somatic awareness. and given -'The body remembers what the mind forgets" its anther way to practice listening to our bodies.

Reply

Nick Wright

2/6/2016 06:30:18 am

Thanks Steve. What you describe sounds a lot like mindfulness. Can you say a bit more about how this kind of body awareness influences your coaching insight and practice? All the best. Nick

Reply

Steve Kopp

2/6/2016 07:34:49 am

Hey Nick, Thanks for the interest. My background is as a psychodramatist. J L Moreno, Father of psychodrama and sociometry, is the one who said "the body remembers what the mind forgets." If you consider how children learn, it's somatic/experiential. As adults, we tend to be much more cognitive, but therefore also tend to have well-developed cognitive defenses. Helping individuals listen to their actions and somatic self can frequently bypass those defenses, move us out of familiar (but too often memorized) scripts, and offer a fresh perspective. For example it's fascinating to have individuals actually talk to or from the role of their signature strengths. I've led workshops using this technique several times. If you want more information, let me know - I have a write-up about this process on my website.

Nick Wright

2/6/2016 07:35:21 am

Thanks Steve. I would be interested to read your write-up. What's your website address? You may be interested in this write up of a series of coaching sessions using a Gestalt experiential approach: http://www.nick-wright.com/just-do-it.html Let me know if it strikes a chord with the work you do? All the best. Nick

Great question and good discussion, thanks. I am teaching intercultural communication (ICC) as part of my college adult training. Can't do it well without frequent reflection of my own work and reflections by participants on what they are learning and/or need more of etc. Liked reading here how others are engaging trainees in sharing; sometimes this delicate art is lost when online or self-directed personalized learning is taking over from face-to-face group interactions...sharing is empowering people, don't you think?

Reply

Nick Wright

2/6/2016 01:23:35 pm

Thanks Tuula. Your work in intercultural communication sounds very interesting. In my experience, working cross-culturally can provide some of the richest opportunities for reflection and learning. It can challenge our own beliefs, values, behaviours etc. and facilitate profound change, if we are open to it. I agree that face to face interaction is a very different experience to online learning. There's something about the social-relational aspects of learning that have their own influence and effect. Webinars or other online conversation spaces provide some of this interactivity but, for me, it still doesn't feel as rich as being in the room physically together. Does that resonate with your experiences too? All the best. Nick

Reply

Hemant R. Chalke

3/6/2016 02:25:46 am

I absolutely agree with Tuula that face to face interactions can never be replaced by online learning. I guess Adult learning is all about inspiring at various levels during a session.

Hemant R. Chalke

3/6/2016 02:09:10 am

What a wonderful topic to discuss Nick. I believe that as a trainer / facilitator its so important to reflect on how you r doing things in front of the group. We training practitioners play a very important role in shaping someones future. I have been involved in Safety n Security trainings since a long time now n those arriving at my training centre used to be from more than 8 to 9 countries. Most of them step out of their villages, towns n countries to the GCC to earn for their families back home. What i found was that quite a few of them were eager n get inspired by their instructors. They look at minute mannerisms, attitude, behaviour, etc., n try to use it in their life.

This I discovered n came across in course evaluations, sometimes in telephone calls, sometimes years after when i bump into them n they actually say that they do a particular thing because they saw me or one of my facilitators doing it n they got inspired. Guess its a performance that we need to put up anew every time we have a group. Every nationality had a different take on everything we taught. Hence a facilitator has to customise his act n reflect n learn from that group.

Its so gratifying to see a group graduating from a course n to see his entire persona change due to the facilitator who modeled n inspired him or her during those days at the centre. The training material is same but every group had to be treated in a culturally different way which takes the message n objectives across. Hence i guess its very necessary for us to model n reflect n inspire those who r there to learn. Its mot limited to the course curriculum but spills over in a lot of other areas as YOU R BEING WATCHED. Even during breaktimes.

Reply

Nick Wright

3/6/2016 02:23:46 am

Hi Hemant. Thanks for sharing such a great example of the power and impact of role-modelling. It points to how important it is that trainers pay attention to their presence, attitude, approach etc. as well as any material they may be presenting. It's about who we are, not just what we do. One of the tricky things is that, if inspired by someone in this way, people can copy everything they see their role model do.

In my view, this means that it can be useful for trainers and facilitators to challenge and enable groups to reflect critically on what they are noticing and experiencing and, where possible, to model that in the room too. I did this recently with a training group working on 'appraisal' by pausing the workshop half way through and challenging the group to appraise my training so far: What had I done well and What would most improve it in the second half.

It had quite an impact in the group, especially once the group had worked through its inhibitions about challenging a perceived authority figure in the group, and to do it publicly. I emphasised that I was inviting critical feedback because I genuinely wanted to know.

One example of an interesting book in this area is Thompson & Thompson's 'The Critically Reflective Practitioner' (2008). Let me know if any of what I've written here resonates for you, especially in the cross-cultural groups you work with? All the best. Nick

Reply

Hemant R. Chalke

4/6/2016 02:51:47 am

Thanx Nick. Yes it does resonate. Its the whole journey that matters n not just how the groups do in exams etc. its fantastic n very helpful to have the group tell you how you were doing n that too stressing that it be critical feedback. I luv that kind of a feedback which I used to request during training feedback. I used to send in a third party to do the feedback so the facilitator was not there in the class. The third party was one of my Admin staff who was trained on how to encourage critical vis-a-vis tick marks on all the Good n Excellent boxes. I m really enjoying the interaction. Thanx for sharing your thoughts.

Mareena Alexander

3/6/2016 02:26:28 am

Nick. a good question to think about... Reflect. Pause, Reflect, Act is really the mantra for continuous lifelong learning.

Reply

Nick Wright

3/6/2016 02:27:27 am

Thanks Mareena. I add 'prayer' into the mix too! All the best. Nick

Reply

Susan D Willsie

4/6/2016 03:05:49 am

This is good to think about. Too often we are busy just doing...yet reflecting is when some of our best learning can take place. This is when we learn to improve our approach, learn from mistakes, and ensure we don't repeat the same mistakes. Stopping to reflect throughout a process might seem time consuming at first, but it could help to keep a project on track and even improve it's success rate.

Reply

Nick Wright

4/6/2016 03:10:23 am

Thanks Susan. Yes, I agree. I'm amazed by how often I have conversations with leaders who say they have no time to stop and think. Sometimes, it's a case of realising that they are exercising choice in this: 'I am not choosing to create space to think', rather than this being something that is happening to them. I'm reading a stimulating book at the moment, The Critically Reflective Practitioner (Thompson & Thompson, 2008), that has some great ideas about how to do critical reflection which is a bit different to pausing to think. Lots of interesting ideas. :) All the best. Nick

Reply

Ramesh Sood

4/6/2016 04:28:04 am

Good one and informative.. Have a post on similar lines.. We always like that which resonates with us.. RS

Reply

Nick Wright

4/6/2016 04:30:48 am

Hi Ramesh and thanks for the encouraging feedback. I'd be very interested to read your post - can you give us a link to it? I think your comment, 'we always like that which resonates with us' is very profound. I wonder if, in NLP terms, it depends in part on whether we notice and are drawn to similarity or difference? I'd be interested to hear more! All the best. Nick

Reply

SK Puri

4/6/2016 11:29:21 am

Beautifully explained.

Reply

Nick Wright

4/6/2016 11:39:42 am

Thanks for your kind words, SK. All the best. Nick

Reply

Nancy St. Michel

4/6/2016 11:38:50 am

So true!! Sometimes our best "aha" moments come when we stop and think about the "so what?" after learning something. Very powerful.

Reply

Nick Wright

4/6/2016 11:42:09 am

Thanks Nancy. Interestingly, I've seen two articles just in the past week that have extolled the virtue or procrastination or slowing down when faced with important decisions too in order to allow wisdom to emerge. Perhaps we're beginning to re-discover the value of pausing to reflect in our busy-busy cultures. Let's hope! All the best. Nick

Reply

Maureen Does

5/6/2016 06:47:01 am

Great article. Especially the part of work with contrasting cultures.

Reply

Nick Wright

5/6/2016 06:47:45 am

Thanks for the affirming feedback, Maureen. All the best. Nick

Reply

Karin Ovari

5/6/2016 06:49:10 am

Great tips and reminder, well put.

Reply

Nick Wright

5/6/2016 06:49:37 am

Thank you, Karin. All the best. Nick

Reply

Sharon Vanessa Marcano V.

5/6/2016 06:50:24 am

Thanks for great tips.

Reply

Nick Wright

5/6/2016 06:50:56 am

You are very welcome, Sharon. :) All the best. Nick

Reply

Teri Johnson

7/6/2016 01:57:46 am

I really like this one: invite people to test your assumptions. Because - we get so into our own way of seeing things that this shakes us loose, if we are open, to think about things from a different point of view.

Reply

Nick Wright

7/6/2016 01:58:27 am

Thanks Teri - and well said! All the best. Nick

Reply

Adam Snide

8/6/2016 12:58:31 am

My team is video recorded, albeit different from the examples give, I manage a team of contact center trainers. These trainers range from Corporate Trainers to SME Trainers with a classroom of participants from 4 to 40 people. Having the trainings recorded allows for the trainer, me and others, to watch a part, or all, of a session. Trainers not in a class for an extended period of time are required to watch, and provide feedback, as a part of their duties. This constructional feedback is given to me and the trainer at hand.

The goal is to evolve and become better at what we do. The art of feedback and the feeling of being a team is essential for this to work. It took a while but when it came together, it's amazing how all of the trainers have taken pieces of how others manage a classroom and put them to their own personal use. When the trainer watches their own session, they are always more critical then when others watch them.

I feel this is a new best practice for our teams to consistently evaluate ourselves and others to constantly improve and provide positive reinforcement to our peers. After all, we as trainers are essentially on an island, with little appreciation from others about all the little things we do to make a successful training event.

Reply

Nick Wright

8/6/2016 01:05:58 am

Hi Adam and thanks for sharing such a great approach to reflective practice. It reminded me of the first time I was video recorded whilst doing a supervision session. When I watched the recording afterwards, my external persona was very different to what I had imagined whilst in the session itself. A good learning experience.

I ran a series of workshops on appraisal recently. In order to engage the group with the practice of critical reflection and feedback, I paused the workshop half way through, provided a feedback model then invited and enabled the group to critique my training so far in order to enhance it in the second half.

It was a powerful and useful experience to 'do-it-now' with the group in the room, modelling a genuine desire to know and enabling the group to practise providing critical feedback that was specific and constructive. It also enabled them to reflect on their own part in the training experience too - how they were and could influence it.

Thanks again and all the best. Nick

Reply

Simon James

8/6/2016 06:16:03 am

From this article i would suggest, Reflective practice can be linked with mindfullnes ie Being in the moment and not of it. Any thoughts?

Reply

Nick Wright

8/6/2016 06:19:17 am

Hi Simon and thanks for posing a good question. My sense is that mindfulness can be an important and useful aspect of reflective practice. Reflective practice tends also to draw on relevant theory base(s) - that is, wider learning in the field - as a way of informing and testing experiences as well as challenging those theories on the basis of lived experience. Does that make sense? All the best. Nick

Reply

Simon James

9/6/2016 03:01:33 pm

Thanks Nick, makes sense and thanks for commenting. often when training we have to reflect 'in action' i have never looked at a recorded session of myself (on action) and would guess this would be a useful tool. My comment about mindfullness incompas all senses not just visual, Where i think video falls short. so sorry youtube/distance learning and the like, teacher/trainers are still required as reflecting 'in action' for the audiance is the only meaningful training interaction for every unique minute of teaching.

Nick Wright

9/6/2016 03:04:13 pm

Thanks Simon.Yes, I think there is a phenomenological dimension to an actual experience and interaction between people that is different to an observation of it, e.g. on video. My sense is that both are valuable as opportunities for reflection and learning. All the best. Nick

Pam Walker

8/6/2016 12:40:20 pm

Hi all Thanks you have brought me down to earth I was doing my final assignment of the semester and getting nowhere on autopilot and I know I need a break to celebrate what I achieved already. Carly I love your way of being and always enjoy shopping if I come across people like you.

Reply

Nick Wright

8/6/2016 12:41:25 pm

Hi Pam. Pleased to have provided you with stimulus to take a break and celebrate. :) And yes - Carly - what a star! All the best. Nick

Reply

Norman Rose

11/6/2016 02:36:19 am

Let's make a distinction between mindfulness and reflection. The first is in-the-moment and the second is after an action. Both are useful, but they don't necessarily serve the same purpose....

Mindfulness is good for being in the moment, for being aware of self in action, for noticing the effect we are having on others and vice-versa.

Reflection is good for considering how that past moment played out. Could/Should I have done something different? Did I pay enough attention to that little comment or detail? Was I being completely genuine in the situation? Am I being completely honest in how I am assessing that moment, or am I rationalizing?

I suppose emotional intelligence requires both mindfulness and reflection. How else can we be present and also grow?

Reply

Nick Wright

11/6/2016 02:44:42 am

Thanks Norman. That would be one way of making a distinction. However, 'reflection' in reflective practice is often used to mean reflection before, during and after action. Reflection before is about questions such as 'What are we here to do?', 'What would success look like?', 'What learning can we apply to how we approach this?'. Reflection during is about here-and-now awareness which is, in many ways, similar to mindfulness with questions such as 'What am I aware of?', 'What am I noticing?', 'What am I not noticing?', 'What is preoccupying me?'. Reflection after is how you described it with questions such as 'What have we learned?', 'How well does what we experienced here connect with what we know from theory in this area?', 'What sense am I making of this?' Emotional intelligence - e.g. in terms of personal and social awareness - is a critical factor in high quality reflection and practice, especially in people-related fields. I hope that makes sense. All the best. Nick

Reply

Norman Rose

12/6/2016 04:17:47 am

As long as everyone agrees that reflection can be past/present/future, then it's fine. I happen to like using distinct words for distinct concepts if our language has them.

I know some educators use the terms "reflection-in-action" and "reflection-on-action" to denote present/past tense thinking -- evidently coined by D.Schoen in the 1980's. Kind of catchy -- and a nice way to make two important processes distinct. Reducing them down to the single word "reflection" loses something for me. But I'm just an old curmudgeon, so carry on.....

Nick Wright

12/6/2016 04:23:18 am

Thanks Norman. You made me smile. :) Yes, Schon was a bit of a pioneer in this field. There have been further developments, reflected (if I may use that word) in the knowledge management field that draws attention too the value of reflection before as well as 'in' and 'on'. Thompson & Thompson's book, The Critically Reflective Practitioner is also worth glancing at if you're interested and haven't seen it already. They critique Schon's approach as being too individual-focused and offer interesting wider systemic approaches. All the best. Nick

Leave a Reply.

Author

Nick is a freelance coach, trainer and OD consultant specialising in reflective practice.